Keowee Courier

PROTEST AGAINST DISCRIMINATIONS
Several States Contemplating Legislating Against the Sale of Cotton Seed Oil and Products.

Columbia, Feb. 18.—Upon request of Governor McLeod the General Assembly of South Carolina today adopted resolutions protesting against legislation said to be pending in several States that would place a tax on cotton-seed oil products.

In the following special message the Governor called the matter to the attention of both houses of the General Assembly:

"I have just been advised that there are pending in the Legislatures of the States of California, Idaho, Indiana, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, Oregon, Utah and Wisconsin, measures which would practically deny the sale of cotton oil products in these States.

"This legislation would work serious injury to the great product of all of the cotton States. It is discriminatory and unfair. It is as unfair as if South Carolina were to enact a special prohibitive tax against Oregon apples as in favor of those from Virginia, or against corn and hay from the West in favor of that produced in the South.

"Such legislation would destroy all friendly dealings between the States, and especially so between those sections so nearly allied in that they are peculiarly agricultural— the South and the West.

"I respectfully request that the General Assembly immediately pass a concurrent resolution protesting against this legislation or any similar hostile legislation to a product or products of unquestionable food value, and which are sold at all times under the closest inspection of the pure food department of the United States government."

Action is Taken

Following out the request of the Governor, the following resolution was adopted:

"Whereas, there are now pending in the Legislatures of the States of California, Idaho, Indiana, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, Oregon, Utah and Wisconsin, legislative measures which would practically deny the sale of cotton seed oil products in these States, with special reference to oleomargarine, which product is one of purity and of food value, and has stood the closest inspection and has the approval of the pure food department of the Federal government:

"Now, therefore, be it resolved:

"That the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina does most earnestly protest against this and other legislation tending to depreciate or discriminate against the natural farm products of one section of the United States for the benefit of the farm products of another section, and to deprive the purpose of its choice between equally desirable commodities:

"That they do further appeal to the sense of fairness and justice of the legislators of the States to prevent the passage of such discriminatory and unfair laws."

McLean Fears Rupture.

Washington, Feb. 18.—Governor A. W. McLean, of North Carolina, has written a letter to Senator F. M. Simmons, of that State, with regard to measures pending in the Legislatures of Wisconsin, California, Indiana, Missouri, Idaho, Nebraska, Ohio, Oregon and Utah, which "would practically deny the sale of cotton oil products in those States." The Governor suggests that the Senator do what he can to induce the Senators from the States mentioned to advise against such discriminatory legislation.

"It would seem to me," Governor McLean remarks in the letter, "that if Western agricultural States enact laws injurious to the interests of the Southern agricultural States it would endanger that sympathetic spirit of co-operation and friendly solidarity that now exists, and that would continue to exist between these great sections."

Florida Enters Protest.

Tallahassee, Fla., Feb. 18.—Governor Martin today telegraphed Senators Fletcher and Trammell and Florida's four Representatives in the lower house of Congress asking that they use their influence with Senators and Representatives from Wisconsin, California, Idaho, Indiana, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, Oregon and Utah to prevent the passage of measures before the Legislatures of those States directed against the sale of cotton oil products there.

Overman Scents Trouble.

Washington, Feb. 18.—Legislation pending in several States to tax cotton oil products will lead eventually to a virtual civil war, Senator Overman, Democrat, of North Carolina, declared in the Senate today, calling upon Senators to ask their Legislatures to drop bills of this nature.

Senator Overman read a telegram from Governor McLean, of North Carolina, calling attention to the fact that several State Legislatures had such measures under consideration. He described the measures as "intolerable" and warned that retaliative measures might be enacted by the cotton producing States to place embargoes on manufactured goods.

Senator Gooding, Republican, of Idaho, agreed that the legislation complained of by Senator Overman was "outrageous," and promised that he would seek to have his State Legislature kill any such bill.

SOUTHERN STATES TO JOIN IN FIGHT
"If the West Boycotts Us, We Will Boycott Them," Says Clifford Walker, of Georgia.

Atlanta, Feb. 19.—Several other Southern States were expected to fall in line with Georgia, Florida, North Carolina and South Carolina today in concerted opposition to the passage by several Western and mid-Western States of legislation alleged to be discriminatory against cotton seed oil products.

A call for the Governors of ten Southern States to co-operate in presenting a solid front against the passage of measures which, it is alleged, would tax oleomargarine and other cotton seed oil products in a manner which would be discriminatory has been sounded by Governor A. W. McLean, of North Carolina.

Governor Clifford Walker, of Georgia, announced upon receipt of a message from Governor McLean that he expected to confer with the Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture to determine what steps would bring best results, and offered the suggestion that "if they boycott us we might retaliate by boycotting them."

Governor Martin, of Florida, called upon the Florida delegation in Washington to urge Senators and Representatives from the States in which such legislation is said to be pending to use their influence to prevent its passage.

The passage of such measures, he felt, would interfere with the cordial relationship between the cotton producing States and those of the West and mid-West, in addition to bringing economic hardships to the Southern States.